Mealtime at the Pri Staroj Vuri Restaurant can be an indulgent affair where you can get lost in time - literally. The walls of the rustic restaurant are decorated with old clocks and other ethnographic objects from the Samobor area and memorabilia recognizing important dates and local events. Loosely translated, I believe that the restaurant name means “At the Old Clock”.

The dishes are substantial in portion and not conducive to whichever diet or at home lifestyle meal maintenance plan many of us happen to be on these days. It doesn’t matter though because most of us don’t go on vacation expecting to eat the same dishes that we can find at the restaurant a few blocks from home.

Although the restaurant does offer a selection of continental, local and vegetarian dishes, meals prepared using traditional 19th century Samobor recipes using local fish, meat and vegetables will surely delight anyone willing to step out and make dining an equal partner with the rest of the vacation experience.

It was early afternoon when I dined at the Pri Staroj Vuri. After cleaning my plate of the smoked trout and side dishes along with samples from dishes selected by my dining companions, I knew that I’d have little appetite for dinner. Pri Staroj Vuri is located in Samobor, Croatia and is just a short distance from Trg Kralja Tomislava Square, Samobor's main square. Samobor is a small 13th century town about 21 kilometers (about 12 miles) south of Zagreb and a weekend destination for Croatians looking to get away from Zagreb for a few hours.

The restaurant is in a 120 year old house surrounded by an English park which has swings and jungle gyms for young children. It is on the site of a former vineyard. Weather permitting, diners have the option of eating on the patio under colorful red table umbrellas.

Menu favorites include domestic ham baked in bread, veal chops with vegetables, Samobor steak, baked strudel, smoked trout and veal breast. Diners can also order from a nice selection of Croatian wines and beer.

After our meal, the owner, Nicholas Zore, a burly friendly fellow, thanked us for dining at the restaurant and gave me a bear hug before we headed for the parking lot. Even if I hadn't liked the meal, I’d certainly go back for another hug.